A regional state of emergency has been declared in Sevastopol due to fuel oil contamination of the coastline, which entered the sea after the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers crashed in the Kerch Strait.
Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev reported that there is no mass contamination of the coastline, but fuel oil spots are being recorded in various places and are being quickly eliminated. In particular, traces of petroleum products were found on the Zvezdny Bereg, Golubaya Bukhta, and Nakhimovets beaches, where the contamination covers a length of about 760 meters. Employees of rescue services, Sevprirodnadzor, and volunteers are involved in eliminating the consequences.
After the tanker crash, which occurred on December 15 due to a storm, about 2.4 thousand tons of petroleum products entered the Black Sea. To date, more than 715 square kilometers have been surveyed in the Kerch Strait, 25 tons of oil-water mixture have been collected, and 15 kilometers of coastline have been cleaned. More than 86 thousand tons of contaminated soil have been removed in Crimea and Kuban.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations warns of the risk of further oil spills. Work to clean up the coast and water area will continue in an intensified mode, including during the holidays.